International Colloquium: Terror and Justice in France

Hosted by Georgetown University's Department of French and Francophone Studies and the French Institute of Texas A&M University and organized with support from the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the United States, will examine the 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris and the national trials that followed (2020–2022). Featuring contributions from leading figures in the French judiciary, the media, filmmaking, and historical scholarship, the conference offers a range of perspectives on the attacks, the trials, and their broader historical and societal implications.

Background and objectives

Ten years after the attacks, this conference brings together key figures from the legal system, the media, the film industry and the field of historical research to examine the many facets of these events. Discussions will cover:

• Legal proceedings and their impact on the French counter-terrorism system,
• The role of the media in covering the attacks and the trials,
• The challenges of collective memory and the transmission of history,
• Testimonies from victims and professionals involved in these cases.

The aim is to provide a multidisciplinary analysis, drawing on feedback and recent research.

Speakers

Speakers include;

• Olivier Christen: National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor, French Republic.
• Elisabeth Pelsez: Senior Magistrate and co-President of the Musée/Mémorial du Terrorisme project.
• Arthur Dénouveaux: Essayist, Bataclan survivor, and founder of the Life for Paris Association for the victims of the 13 November attacks.
• Olivia Ronen: Criminal defense attorney, former Secrétaire de la Conférence, counsel for Salah Abdeslam.
• Charlotte Piret: judicial reporter at France Inter, specializing in terrorism and terrorist trials.
• Pauline Picco: historian of terrorism, advisor to the Musée/Mémorial du Terrorisme project.
• Jules Naudet: French filmmaker, director of the Netflix series November 13: Attack on Paris.

Program

Thursday, April 9, 2026

• 9:30 am - Welcome Remarks
• 9:45 am - Terror and Justice - An Introduction
• 10 am - 2015 – Anatomy of Terror
• 10:15 am - 11:30 am - Roundtable I: The Attacks – Experience and Memory
• 12:30 pm – 01:45 pm - Roundtable II: Investigating Terror – Media, Information, and Inquiry
• 03:30 pm-04:45 pm - Roundtable IV: Justice and Defense – Legal Representation in Terrorism Trials

Friday, April 10, 2026

• 9:00 am-10:30 am - Documentary Screening ‘November 13: Attack on Paris’, with Director Jules Naudet.
• 11:00 am-12:30 pm - Roundtable V: Ten Years On – Memory, Victims, and Pedagogy
• 12:30 pm - Concluding remarks

Practical details

In-person attendance

The conference will take place at Georgetown University (Old North 205, Washington D.C.) and is open to the public, subject to availability.

Online attendance

A live stream will be available via Zoom. Registration is required to receive the login link:

Register

Information & contact

For any conference inquiries, please contact the organizers:

• Johann Le Guelte : johann.le.guette@georgetown.edu
• Richard Golsan : rjgolsan@tamu.edu

Event organised with the support of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the United States.